Your U.S. Rep. is Key to Next Step in FY16 NEA Funding Process

June 11, 2015

Special Alert! Your U.S. Rep. is Key to Next Step in FY16 NEA Funding Process

On Tuesday, June 16, the House Appropriations Committee will debate a bill that includes the FY16 budget for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). This step follows the House Interior Subcommittee's recommendation on June 10 of $146 million for the NEA. Your member of Congress serves on the House Appropriations Committee and will play a key role in determining this year's NEA funding level.

The total pool of funds available for the committee to allocate to various accounts is subject to budget caps that make all non-defense spending vulnerable to reductions. Orchestras and the broader arts community are requesting an FY16 budget of $155 million for the NEA.

The League advocates on behalf of orchestras in support of NEA funding throughout the year. In March, we joined with Opera America to bring Melia Tourangeau, President & CEO of the Utah Symphony | Utah Opera to testify before the House Interior Subcommittee, and the next month, the League submitted its annual written testimony to the Senate, highlighting the work of orchestra grantees throughout the country. Throughout the year, we encourage orchestra advocates to tell their members of Congress how the NEA provides critical funding for projects that increase access to music in communities nationwide.

There is a small window of time for Congress to pass its funding bills, and the House Subcommittee deliberation is the first opportunity to weigh in directly with the influential members who will set the tone for the NEA's FY16 budget allocation. Please use the League's online Advocacy Center to tell your Representative how important NEA funding is to your community and to the nation. Your voice matters!